Aircraft · United Kingdom · 1944-1945
Gloster Meteor
jet fighter
The Meteor was Britain's first operational jet fighter and the only Allied jet to see combat in the Second World War, entering RAF service with No. 616 Squadron on 27 July 1944. Its speed made it well suited to intercepting V-1 flying bombs over southern England, and it was credited with 14 V-1 kills before the threat ended, though it was largely kept away from combat over German-held territory for fear of a jet falling into enemy hands.
| engine | 2 x Rolls-Royce Derwent turbojet |
|---|---|
| speed | 417 mph (F.1, 9,800 ft) |
| armament | 4 x 20mm Hispano cannon |
| produced | 3,947 (1943-1955) |